Washington – Today, the ϾƷ applauded Senator Todd Young (R-IN) for introducing legislation to reduce freight fraud and theft, strengthen regulatory oversight, prevent unlawful operations, and enhance enforcement across the commercial motor carrier industry.
The Securing American Freight, Enforcement, and Reliability in Transport (SAFER Transport) Act represents a direct response to issues that were raised during a Senate Commerce Subcommittee hearing that Senator Young chaired last year on rising incidents of cargo theft. Testifying on behalf of ϾƷ, an owner of a trucking small business described how his company’s identity was stolen by technologically advanced criminals, who used that information to divert and steal loads. The con artists took advantage of weaknesses in FMCSA’s Safety and Fitness Electronic Records (SAFER) System to perpetrate their crime.
“Over 90% of trucking fleets operate 10 trucks or fewer, and each one embodies the American Dream. Motor carriers spend years building their reputations, but ruthless and sophisticated criminals are actively exploiting loopholes in USDOT’s registration process to steal their identities, capitalize on their good names, and commit cargo theft,” said ϾƷ President & CEO Chris Spear. “Small businesses are not equipped to fight large-scale fraud on their own, which is why it is so critical to implement Senator Young’s commonsense reforms that modernize USDOT’s systems to weed out chameleon carriers and enhance oversight and penalties. We are grateful for his willingness to listen to the voices of hardworking truckers.”
“Indiana’s predominantly family-owned trucking companies are locked in a rapidly escalating arms race against high-tech thieves,” said Gary Langston, president of the Indiana Motor Truck Association. “Identity theft and cargo heists have become an epidemic, and the outdated USDOT system has left the back door wide open for criminals to target motor carriers. We thank Senator Young for introducing this legislation that will help eliminate vulnerabilities related to registration, CDL issuance, and training and finally give our industry the backup it needs to fight fraud. These reforms will protect Indiana trucking fleets and the hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers they employ.”
ϾƷ has long warned that insufficient oversight has undermined safety and allowed bad actors to proliferate. In addition to calling for a crackdown on fraud, the Federation has advocated for regulations and legislation to improve CDL integrity, strengthen driver qualifications, shut down CDL mills, and put a stop to cabotage.
As a comprehensive freight security and registration integrity reform bill, the SAFER Transport Act aligns with ϾƷ’s recommendations by:
- Modernizing and securing FMCSA’s registration system;
- Phasing out outdated MC numbers in favor of USDOT numbers;
- Strengthening fraud detection and enforcement tools;
- Enhancing oversight of CDL issuance and training providers;
- Increasing criminal penalties for fraudulent certifications;
- Improving interagency coordination on freight theft and cabotage enforcement; and
- Closing regulatory loopholes involving foreign dispatch services.
Cargo theft is becoming increasingly prevalent and high-tech, and it often originates overseas. The that cargo theft is costing the trucking industry over $18 million per day. Strategic theft, a category of crime that uses cyber fraud and identity manipulation to divert freight, has surged by 1,500% since 2021 .
In February 2025, Adam Blanchard, the co-founder and CEO of Double Diamond Transport and Tanager Logistics, represented ϾƷ before the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Freight, Pipelines, and Safety at the invitation of the chairman, Senator Young. Blanchard explained how sophisticated criminals created a fake Tanager Logistics—even adding their bogus company to FMCSA’s SAFER website—and brokered loads to unsuspecting carriers. One shipment of energy drinks worth over six figures was rerouted over 1,000 miles from its intended destination.
Blanchard’s company—the real Tanager Logistics—played whack-a-mole and suffered reputational damage while the scammers pocketed the money. When Blanchard repeatedly contacted the authorities, however, the response he received was indifference. Even when he informed FMCSA about the counterfeit Tanager Logistics on its website, the agency refused to remove the imposter.
The SAFER Transport Act would protect trucking companies by enhancing the integrity of FMCSA’s registration system and taking additional steps to root out fraud.